Disrupting face-to-face courses for extended periods of time is difficult in and of itself, but even more so for courses that require hands-on, interactive learning, such as courses with laboratory, studio, service-learning, and maker space components. This page compiles resources with tips for moving lab activities online but also for rethinking a course when those hands-on components are no longer feasible. Resources for other hands-on course types will be added as they become available.
Let your learning objectives guide an unexpected course redesign.
What are Tech faculty doing to move labs online?
On episode 5 of the Teaching & Learning Buzz podcast, we talk to Drs. Mike Evans, Ben Galfond, and Himani Sharma to find out.
Resources for Academic Continuity in Lab Courses
As in every course, learning objectives should drive the pedagogical changes necessitated by a long disruption to face-to-face instruction. The following resources share alternatives to lab meetings including using virtual labs, provide students with raw data to work with, and considering different methods for interaction.
Crowd-Sourced Google Doc for Lab Simulation and Virtual Labs
Teaching Science Labs Remotely, Harvard University
Run Lab Activities, Stanford University
Run Lab Activities, North Carolina State University
- NC State, Department of Chemistry S.M.A.R.T. Lab Video examples
- NC State, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering lab videos examples
- NC State, GeoForAll lab videos examples
Discipline-Targeted Virtual Lab Resources from MERLOT
Studio-Based Courses
When attempting to move portions of a studio-based course to a remote learning context, consider some fo the following alternatives:
- Have your students record their student-generated content (ex: performances, speeches, design objects/plans, materials for a crit, etc) and upload it to YouTube for review, discussion, and critic with the instructor and the rest of the students. Videos can then be linked to in Canvas.
- Use Blue Jeans or WebEx to meet directly with smaller groups of students working on a shared project or design to provide feedback and interaction.
- Consider alternate ways for students to share their projects, such as through animated videos and infographics which can be made using free online software platforms.
- Help students to create an online portfolio to showcase their collection of projects, work samples, skills, activities, and accomplishments. Students can post course projects and other accomplishments to showcase their learning achievements. (Adapted from the CalPoly-Pomona website.)
Service-Learning and Community-Engaged Courses
If you are teaching a Serve-Learn-Sustain-affiliated course, please visit this SLS page with an extensive FAQ and contact information for SLS consulations.
